


Snowmelt

by Burgie



Category: Star Stable Online
Genre: 12 Days of Ficsmas, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-14
Updated: 2018-12-14
Packaged: 2019-09-18 03:53:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,231
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16987560
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Burgie/pseuds/Burgie
Summary: Ydris surprises his fiance during winter. Daine belongs to HellishSam.





	Snowmelt

**Author's Note:**

  * For [HellishSam](https://archiveofourown.org/users/HellishSam/gifts).



It wasn't often that Daine got homesick. Why should he, when home had people who genuinely didn't want him around, when home was a boy who was no longer alive, when home was now a large house on South Hoof with a big yard and a dog and a fiance who loved him more than anyone had loved Daine in a very long time? But there were some things he admittedly missed. The sound of wind sighing through the pines, for one thing. And yeah, there were pines on Jorvik, and he did often visit Mistfall (especially more recently with his fiance), but it just wasn't the same. He was actually considering moving to Mistfall, building a house and a new life with his fiance, but... he knew that Jay and Willow lived there, and he knew how Jay felt about the other Pandorian. How Willow still felt, and would probably always feel, about his fiance.

"A shilling for your thoughts, my phoenix?" Ydris asked, running his fingers gently over Daine's curly black hair against his face as Daine lay curled on the couch with his head in Ydris' lap. Ydris had even made the couch a little bigger so that their dog, a German Shepherd named Bear, could curl up on the other side of Ydris, the magician's hand resting gently on Bear’s large head and idly playing with his ears.

"Who says I'm thinking anything?" Daine asked. Ydris chuckled, the sound washing over Daine like the caresses that he was currently enjoying.

"I do know the difference between your silences," said Ydris. "And I am not foolish enough to have missed the fact that you have been rather... morose, as of late."

"I'm not morose," said Daine with a scoff.

"Well, I know that there is something wrong," said Ydris. He paused, and when he spoke again, his voice was a little more serious. "Is... this time of year hard for you, my phoenix?"

"Huh? No, why do you say that?" Daine asked, moving onto his back so that he could look up into Ydris' eyes.

"The emu has told me that people like you, those who burn with rainbow light, often find it difficult during the holiday season," said Ydris.

"Yeah, nah, it's not... not that," said Daine. Though he did remember those awkward family dinners back then, when he'd had to remain silent while his family members had all assumed that he liked girls. Or just outright ignored the fact that he didn't.

"Then what is it?" Ydris asked. The concern in his voice made Daine feel all warm inside, a smile coming easily to his lips before it faded.

"I just... I hate that it hasn't snowed on Jorvik in years," said Daine. "It used to, once, but not anymore."

"Perhaps it is a result of our worlds becoming closer?" Ydris asked. Daine shook his head.

"Not according to common knowledge," said Daine. "Global warming. It sucks. Go ask Louisa or Ella, they love explaining shit like that." Ydris chuckled again, his hand still stroking over Daine's hair. Daine purred for a moment, closing his eyes before he realised what he was doing and stopped.

"Do you wish it to snow, my phoenix?" Ydris asked.

"I think Willow'd be madder at you than she already is if you fucked with the ecosystem like that," said Daine.

"I suppose that you have a point," said Ydris. Now, the silence wasn't thoughtful. It was only peaceful, broken only by the occasional sleep snuffle from their dog or a purr from Daine.

Daine was disappointed when he awoke the next morning to nothing more than frost on the front lawn, quickly decorated with large pawprints from his dog who ran out to do his business. Daine scanned the horizon, breath steaming in the chilly air. Of course it wasn't cold enough to snow. Of course Ydris hadn't actually been able to create snow in their little patch of the world. Of course Ydris couldn't reverse global warming, it'd take more than one magician to do that job, as good at it as Ydris was. And yet, he'd still hoped. Damn him, he'd still hoped.

With a sigh, Daine walked back inside, reaching for the chocolate cake that was stashed at the back of the fridge with 'MINE' written on a sticky note in big black letters and stuck to the top of the plastic casing. He sat at the dining room table (Daine had made it out of wood and lacquered it but it was now covered in scratches from... certain things) to eat, not even bothering with anything other than a fork. Nobody else was allowed to eat his cake. Except for Ydris. If he asked nicely.

Ydris frowned at Daine as he walked out of their bedroom sometime later. Daine saw and pulled his cake closer to him, giving his fiance a glare.

"Don't judge me," said Daine.

"How can I judge when my entire diet, before meeting you, was cotton candy?" said Ydris. Daine smirked and got back to his cake.

"I'm upset because there's no snow," said Daine after a while of eating. Ydris was busy making pancakes for them, a sight that made Daine smile down at his cake. He loved it when Ydris cooked for him. Even if Ydris was partially doing it to make up for everything.

"Oh?" said Ydris. "You may want to visit the circus today, then."

"I visit it anyway as part of my training route," said Daine, giving his fiance a suspicious look.

"Yes, you visit it first," said Ydris, looking quite proud of himself as he looked down at the batter bubbling in the pan. His hair was ruffled from sleep and he was only wearing tracksuit pants, so Daine could see every mark from last night on his fiance's body. Suddenly, the cake was the second-most delicious-looking thing that Daine had seen all morning.

"I'm just checking up on you," said Daine with a shrug as he put the cake back in the fridge. He stood close to his fiance, watching the pancakes cook.

"Yes, I know you are," said Ydris, his eyes half-lidded as he looked at his fiance. Daine pulled Ydris towards him for several kisses that left his fiance breathless, Ydris' face reddening as he panted to get his breath back.

"I should probably go," said Daine, smiling at how flustered his fiance looked.

"And miss out on breakfast?" Ydris asked, quickly flipping the pancakes over before they could burn too much.

"Alright, fine," said Daine as he headed back over to the table. "But only because your pancakes are out of this world."

"I should hope that they are," said Ydris. "Considering the fact that I am Pandorian." Daine let that slide because, well, it was the truth.

True to his word, Daine left the house after breakfast, satisfied with his mouth still tasting of pancakes and cotton candy (the latter taste, of course, coming from the parting kisses that he'd shared with his fiance before leaving). Fortune, the zony that Ydris had created just for him, was waiting for him in the pasture and came trotting over to Daine with a nicker. As it always did, the presence of the zony filled Daine with the feeling of Ydris, making the crystal hanging around his neck glow warmly against his chest in time with Fortune's rune marking on his forehead glowing.

After a few welcoming pets and a few carrots, Daine left the island, headed for the mainland where his training route always started at Nilmer's Highland. Willow had given him grief about that in the past, but honestly, Ydris made him happy. And Daine still remembered what Ydris had told him earlier, about visiting the circus for a surprise.

As he rode up the hill from Moorland to Nilmer's Highland, Fortune managing quite a good speed despite his stubby legs and the steepness of the hill, Daine felt like a kid on Christmas morning. Back when Tyler had been alive and Tyler’s parents had given their son's friend gifts, anyway. The excitement fizzing in his veins was the same. As he rode across the highland, jumping logs and fences on his way to the purple flags fluttering in the breeze, Daine almost felt young again. Not that he was old, but, well.

"In hindsight, I could've asked you to teleport me here," said Daine as he stopped Fortune in front of his fiance, who stood outside the old wagon in his usual place. Though Ydris didn't live in the wagon anymore, he still came here quite often to work on spells or shows. Xin lived in the wagon now.

"Ah, but then where would be the excitement, the building anticipation to get here?" said Ydris, in full showman mode now. Daine remembered when he'd once scoffed at that. He still did now, though it helped to know that this was an act and the real Ydris was... someone different altogether. And Daine was the only one who got to see the magician in his natural state. In all senses of that word.

"I thought you said there'd be something special waiting for me at the circus," said Daine, looking around. It all looked the same- same trees, same grass, same butterflies, same tents, same crowd of adoring fangirls (also scoffed at by Daine).

"Go inside the tent, my phoenix, and do try not to fall off your horse," said Ydris, a glimmer in his eyes as he grinned.

"Not that there's very far to fall from Fortune," said Daine. "But alright, I'm curious." He could feel Ydris grinning after him as he rode into the big top, pushing aside the purple silk flap and stepping onto...

Daine gave a cry of delight that he swore could've been heard halfway across the island but he didn't care. He dismounted Fortune, his boots crunching in the layer of snow. It felt fluffy, especially when he kicked it up. Fortune looked stunned for a moment but then gave a zebra yip of delight and began to prance around in the snow like a foal. Daine had tears in his eyes as he bent down and scooped up a handful of the white stuff, marvelling at how cold it felt on his fingers. And it didn't even melt.

"Well, my phoenix?" Daine turned around, still grinning wide enough that it hurt his face, to see his fiance standing at the big top's entrance, a smile gracing his lips.

"It's snow!" said Daine, his voice a little high and tight with emotion. His eyes burned with happy tears, though he worried about crying in front of his fiance. Even if they were happy tears.

"I do pay attention to your wants, Daniel," said Ydris, his voice gentle as he walked towards his grinning fiance. "Try pressing the button on the centre pole that usually rains confetti." Daine's eyes widened and he gave a small gasp as he ran over to the centre pole. His eyes blazed purple for a moment as he slammed his hand onto the button. And, for a moment, nothing happened. A look of confusion furrowed Daine's face.

"I don't get it, what-" Daine started, but then he saw it. Drifting down in front of him, behind him, all around him, were huge white snowflakes, the kind that only existed in movies and cartoons.

"I do so like this look on you," said Ydris, his own smile as wide as Daine's and his heart just as full to bursting as snowflakes settled on Daine's black beanie and in the curls of his black hair.

"You made it snow," said Daine, his voice still choked with emotion.

"Just for you, my phoenix," said Ydris. Snow was starting to settle on his purple top hat, but he didn't care. Unlike regular snow, this snow wouldn't melt and make his hat or clothing wet. And yes, he did have a show to put on, a circus to run, but...

But man, it was so nice to see Daine like this. So happy. So innocent. So... so free, and excited, like he didn't have a care in the world.

Ydris was surprised when Daine kissed him, his arms wrapped around his fiance. Ydris returned the hug automatically, very much enjoying the feeling of Daine's lips on his, of Daine in his arms.

"Thank you," said Daine, his eyes blazing a fierce golden colour as he grinned up at his fiance. But he kissed Ydris again before Ydris could respond. "Thank you thank you thank you I love it."

"Shall we close the circus for a snow day?" Ydris asked when Daine gave him a moment to speak. Daine squeaked, there was no other word for it.

"Hell yes," said Daine, still grinning from ear to ear.

"Consider it done," said Ydris, snapping his fingers. "I can also bring Cloud here, if you would like."

"Bring him," said Daine. With the snap of teleportation, Cloud appeared, flicking his wings open and shaking his head. He looked at Ydris in confusion but then saw Daine and Fortune and trotted around after the zony.

This was definitely not the way that either man had intended to spend their day. But, as Ydris had found upon meeting Daine, plans could change. And it was often for the better when they did.


End file.
